Sentence-level Techniques to Reveal Character and Control Pacing

Sunday, October 18th, 2026
Prose • Online • 2pm–5:30pm ET

You are invited to a one-day writing workshop with award winning novelist and writing instructor Patricia Westerhof.

The difference between a story readers enjoy and one they can't put down often comes down to the sentence.

This one-day course explores sentence-level techniques to reveal character, deepen emotion, and control momentum.

During this workshop, you'll learn:

  • How your word choice can bring your characters into sharp focus and keep the story compelling when you’re including exposition or covering a big stretch of time.
  • How to guide readers to linger at the pivotal moments, so they can experience the full effect of your story.
  • Simple techniques for making your scenes vivid and immersive.

This workshop combines focused instruction with brief, hands-on exercises that allow participants to immediately apply each technique, followed by discussion to deepen learning and refinement.

You'll leave with a new repertoire of craft tools to keep readers engaged with every sentence of your writing.

For those thinking of participating, you're encouraged to enroll right away.

Course Schedule

The course is entirely online, and hosted via Zoom. You'll also get full access to a course discussion board, so you can share and discuss your work with the class, even after the official course dates.

Date: Sunday, October 18th, 2026
Part One:
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM ET
Break 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM ET
Part Two:
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM ET
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About Patricia Westerhof

Patricia Westerhof is the author of the novels Catch Me When I Fall and The Dove in Bathurst Station, as well as The Canadian Guide to Creative Writing and Publishing.

She co-authored The Writer's Craft, a creative writing textbook that was used widely in Canadian schools. Her stories and articles have appeared in Room, The Feathertale Review, The Dalhousie Review, Write, West End Phoenix, The Toronto Star, and Post Road.

She is a past winner of the Word Award for Best Contemporary Novel, a K.M. Hunter Award finalist, and the recipient of multiple writing grants and residencies. Patricia, who holds an MA in Education and teaches creative writing classes at the University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies, is also a winner of a University of Toronto Excellence in Teaching award. Her current project is an upmarket novel about risk and culpability, set in Toronto and the Canadian Rockies. Learn more about her at www.patriciawesterhof.com

Enroll Now

Early bird tuition is available until October 14th, 2026.